President Vladimir Putin calls in on his predecessor Boris Yeltsin "once or twice a month" at his home in Gorky-9 outside Moscow, a Yeltsin aide, Vladimir Shevchenko, revealed in an interview published Monday.
"The two of them make the arrangement by phone. Vladimir Vladimirovich (Putin) usually arrives at Gorky-9 early in the morning before going to work," Shevchenko told Moskovskaya Pravda.
The aide said the retired leader had more time now to keep in touch with his friends and relatives and that his health had improved.
"Mr. Yeltsin watches television more. Some things make him livid, like the decision to go back to the old (Stalin-era) anthem," which Yeltin had scrapped in favor of a tune by 19th century composer Mikhail Glinka, Shevchenko said.
Yeltsin, who resigned on December 31 1999 and handed over to Putin, declared himself "categorically opposed" to the restoration of the Soviet hymn voted by parliament on December 20. New lyrics, however, still remain to be written -- MOSCOW (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
